Nearly a century after Andy Payne conquered the 3,422-mile International Trans-Continental Footrace in 1928, his footsteps are still echoing through the streets of Oklahoma.
His family is helping make sure of it.
Ian and Ryan Payne stood among hundreds of runners and walkers Saturday morning in Claremore at the inaugural Andy Payne Route 66 Race — an event born out of collaboration between the Claremore Museum of History and the Cherokee Nation — honoring the Foyil native’s legacy not just as race organizers, but as torchbearers of his story.
To them, Andy Payne is more than a figure of folklore. He is family and a standard of quiet greatness whose legacy they believe is still just picking up speed.
Ian Payne, who was just 10 when Andy Payne passed away, still remembers him vividly.
“He was my world,” Ian Payne said. “He was my favorite person. I could not wait every time we went to go see him.”
Although young at the time, he has grown into the role of storyteller, preserving Andy Payne’s legacy for both his family and the community.
However, his memories don’t revolve around his grandfather’s running accolades. He remembers his father handing out medals at the original Andy Payne Memorial Races, which were held annually in Oklahoma from 1977 to 2012, but that is about it.
Instead, he chooses to highlight Andy Payne the person and not so much Andy Payne the distance runner.
“At 10, that was not important,” Ian Payne said. “He was my grandpa.”
Ryan Payne, Andy Payne’s great nephew, said he doesn’t remember meeting the ultrarunning legend but was raised on stories of his grit and determination.
Living with Andy Payne’s widow during college, he grew up immersed in a household where Andy Payne’s legacy was not just remembered — it was honored. Now, Ryan Payne sees Andy Payne’s face every day in the statues erected in Foyil and Claremore.
“I learned more about Andy through stories from my family,” said Ryan Payne, who is the co-chair of the Andy Payne Route 66 Race alongside Kory Coons. “I drive by those statues every single day, so I learned and wanted to research more. Having the last name Payne, I answer a lot of questions, so I had to learn to know the history because I get asked frequently. I know the story as I’ve been told and as I’ve read, but that’s about it.”
Andy Payne, who won what became known as the “Bunion Derby” across the United States, was later a Supreme Court clerk, law graduate and one-time political candidate.
Yet for decades, his story lay mostly dormant outside of Oklahoma until recently. Without the national media attention that today’s athletes command, Andy Payne’s story has often remained hidden in Oklahoma lore.
“When you look at what he did, that is an amazing accomplishment,” Ian Payne said. “It may not have gotten the kind of coverage that other sports figures did, but not a lot of people have accomplished something that big.”
That may be changing now.
The internet and social media have begun to give Andy Payne the recognition he was denied in his own time. Comparisons have even been drawn to modern endurance legends like Dean Karnazes and Lazarus Lake, whose parents are buried in Foyil, his father’s hometown.
Most importantly, the Andy Payne Route 66 Race in Claremore is just the start.
With each year and every runner, Andy Payne’s legend will run on. As the 100th anniversary of his crowning achievement approaches in 2028, the Payne family sees a clear path forward — one where a small-town hero finally earns his place in the national spotlight.
“Imagine if that would’ve happened in the days of ESPN or other mainstream media, where everybody knew about it,” Ryan Payne said.
With a resurgence of interest in his legacy and the successful revival of the Andy Payne races, the Payne family says the momentum is building again.
Ian and Ryan Payne envision its future as more than just a 5K. The dream is a half- and full-marathon event, hoping to echo just a fraction of the grueling route their elder conquered nearly a century ago.
According to Oklahoma Route 66 Association president Rhys Martin, that is a real possibility.
“The first thing is the event has to be successful,” Martin said. “I know a lot of the things they’re doing here are raising funds to expand it next year, and there’s a lot of interest. At the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, I connect with my peers in the other seven states, and folks in California are talking about having an Andy Payne-type event, and they’re all really excited to see how this turns out.”
With growing local support, renewed interest from the running community and the centennial of Payne’s transcontinental feat just one year away, the legacy of Andy Payne — racer, advocate and quiet hero — is poised to reach a new generation of finish lines.
“I think this might actually grow into something,” Ryan Payne said. “We always like to see our name in light, so to speak, and we’ll ride the coattails if we have to.”
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